Professional pyrotechnicians commonly utilize electric or electronic igniters for the ignition of fireworks. These professional fireworks ignition systems utilize circuitry with capacitance discharge to increase firing voltage from a low voltage source to a delivered output of between 200 and 500 volts. Once discharged, the igniter is required to recharge, much like the recharging of a disposable camera flash circuit. Discharging the igniter allows high voltage to be conducted to a quantity of firework-mounted ignition devices know as electric matches. The electric match is a short length of two insulated wires that are bridged with a short length of resistive wire coated with a volatile chemical. Manual replacement of the standard fuse with the electric match is required. Electrodes are connected to the electric match and the firework is ready for discharge. This has the advantage in professional shows of virtually instantaneous discharge of the firework for precision control of displays. The electric match is consumed with each use. These systems are typically expensive and are therefore used principally by professional pyrotechnicians. A similar low voltage device is available for ignition of model rocket engines but requires the same electric match preparation as described above.
The above mentioned capacitive discharge igniter is not suitable for use with consumer class fireworks from the standpoint of practical application, safety and expense. For example, the firework preparation is unnecessarily laborious and time consuming for a small consumer class firework display. Preparing the firework by drilling into it is a dangerous activity as is the shipping and handling of the flammable and toxic chemicals, involved with the electric match. The capacitive discharge circuit is capable of producing a painful shock in much the same way as a high voltage stun gun. Additionally, these ignition systems are prohibitively expensive and complicated for typical consumer use.
Although the previous art of fuse igniters such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,114,176 to H. C. Christ (1938) shows an igniter utilizing resistance wire, there is no means to readily replace the wire were it defective. It is common knowledge within the industry that when a fuse is consumed there is considerable residue of a waxy deposit that can coat the resistive element rendering it useless for repeated ignitions. Additionally, the means of bringing the igniter of Christ or the fuse igniter clamp of U.S. Pat. No. 2,003,483 to J. S. Frye (1935) into contact with the fuse causes the user to be near the ignited fuse. For explosives having extremely long fuses such as those associated with mining and demolition the proximity of the user to the fuse is not relevant. However, consumer class fireworks typically have a fuse length of only a few inches at best, so that using devices such as that of Christ or Frye would place the user in the dangerous area of detonation.
The only alternative available to the above described for the ignition of consumer class fireworks are the non-electric means that are commonly used, such as matches, lighters and stick incense, called punks, which can maintain a hot ember at their tip for a few minutes. These devices are difficult and sometimes impossible to use in breezy or damp weather and users can easily ignite the fuse closer to the firework than intended, substantially shortening the time to detonation. More importantly, they all require the user to be dangerously close to the firework's point of detonation. Each year the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Publishes a Fireworks annual report listing death and injury statistics, which indicates that about 10,000 people annually require emergency room visits due to fireworks related injuries.